Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, right, holds up a jersey with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after he was selected as the second overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions at Radio City Music Hall, Thursday, April 22, 2010, in New York. Jason DeCrow, AP

Detroit Lions top draft pick Ndamukong Suh throws out one of the ceremonial first pitches before the Tigers game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI on Friday, June 11, 2010. JULIAN H. GONZALEZ, Detroit Free Press

Detroit Lions top draft pick Ndamukong Suh, left, goes through his first workout with the team during the afternoon practice in Allen Park, MI, on Wednesday August 4, 2010. JULIAN H. GONZALEZ, Detroit Free Press

Detroit Lions rookie Ndamukong Suh on to the field for to start of their first defensive series of the game in their 23-7 pre season loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers b in Pittsburgh, PA on Saturday August 14, 2010. JULIAN H. GONZALEZ, Detroit Free Press

Detroit Lions Ndamukong Suh and Stephen Tulloch forced New Orleans Saints Drew Brees to get rid of the ball for an incomplete pass late in the 2n quarter in New Orleans on Saturday, January 7, 2012. JULIAN H. GONZALEZ, Detroit Free Press

Detroit Lions' Ndamukong Suh gets a ride on the Red Wings zamboni between the second and third periods of the Red Wings and Blackhawks game four of the Western Conference seim-finals . Kirthmon F. Dozier, Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free

Detroit Lions' Ndamukong Suh takes photos as he gets a ride on the Red Wings zamboni between the second and third periods of the Red Wings and Blackhawks game four of the Western Conference seim-finals , Thursday, May 23, 2013 at Joe Louis Arena. . Kirthmon F. Dozier, Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) watches action from the sideline during the second half of an NFL wildcard playoff football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. Tony Gutierrez, AP

Detroit Lions' Ndamukong Suh and Ezekiel Ansah on the sidelines during second half action against the New York Jets Friday, August 9, 2013 at at Ford Field.
Kirthmon F. Dozier, Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free

Detroit Lions players joke with Ndamukong Suh on the sidelines during second half action against the New York Jets' Friday, August 9, 2013 at at Ford Field.
Kirthmon F. Dozier, Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free

Ndamukong Suh #90 of the Detroit Lions sacks Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter of the game at Ford Field on November 09 , 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Dolphins 20-16. Leon Halip, Getty Images

Detroit Lions Ndamukong Suh gives the missed field goal signal on the 50 yard field goal missed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth quarter of their football game in Detroit on Sunday, November 24, 2013. Julian H. Gonzalez /Detroit Free Press Julian H. Gonzalez, Detroit Free Press

Detroit Lions Ndamukong Suh on the bench in between defense stands in the fourth quarter of their 24-23 win over the New Orleans Saints in Detroit on Sunday, October 19, 2014. Julian H. Gonzalez, Detroit Free Press

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) goes up against Minnesota Vikings guard Joe Berger (61) during the second half of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014. Paul Sancya, AP

Detroit Lions Ndamukong Suh sits on the bench during the final seconds of the 30-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers Sunday, December 28, 2014 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Southfield Christian student Paul Wells poses for a selfie with Detroit Lions Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh as Defensive End Darryl Tapp looks on while supporting Detroit Lions Defensive End Jason Jones (left) before he is honored at halftime of the Southfield-Lathrup High School varsity basketball game at Southfield-Lathrup on Monday December 15, 2014. Jones blocked a fourth quarter field goal attempt by the Minnesota Vikings to help with the Lions 16-14 win over the Vikings on Sunday. Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press

Ndamukong Suh #90 of the Detroit Lions eyes DeMarco Murray #29 of the Dallas Cowboys during the second half of their NFC Wild Card Playoff game at AT&T Stadium on January 4, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. . Tom Pennington, Getty Images

Ndamukong Suh is going to make a mint in free agency, and one anonymous group of fans is taking ambiguous aim at him. Several digital billboards reading only "$uh?" in white print on a blue background have popped up in the metro Detroit and Grand Rapids areas this week, as the Detroit Lions defensive tackle gets ready to test free agency in a few days. Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press

Source: Lions offered $17 million per year with $58 million guaranteed, but Dolphins topped it

Ndamukong Suh never hid his desire to be the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, and on Tuesday he'll get his wish.

Suh plans to sign with the Miami Dolphins when free agency opens next week on a deal that will pay him roughly $19 million per year, two people familiar with the deal but not authorized to speak about it publicly told the Free Press.

The contract, first reported by ESPN, will pay Suh about $114 million over the next six seasons, includes about $60 million guaranteed and vaults him past J.J. Watt as the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.

The Detroit Lions made a last-ditch effort to keep Suh, offering a deal that would pay him an average of $17 million per season with $58 million guaranteed over the weekend, but in the end they did not want to approach Miami's money to lock up the league's best interior lineman.

Suh's side never made the Lions a firm offer during negotiations, which started last spring, but Suh still was considering staying in Detroit as recently as Saturday night because of his relationship with Lions coach Jim Caldwell and others in the organization.

Neither Suh nor his agent, Jimmy Sexton, returned messages today, and the Lions declined comment on the deal.

A three-time first-team All-Pro, Suh's departure leaves the Lions with a gaping hole in the middle of their defense.

Suh had a team-high 8.5 sacks last year, and the Lions led the NFL in rushing defense en route to their second playoff appearance in Suh's five seasons in Detroit. Miami finished 8-8, in third place in the AFC East, and with the league's 21st-ranked defense.

Suh also will get $60 million in first 3 years of 6-year contract, based on parameters set between #Dolphins and Suh's agent, Jimmy Sexton.

The Lions spent most of the past year insisting they would get a deal done with Suh, but they showed little inclination to meet his demands of being the highest paid defensive player in the game last spring, declined to use the franchise tag on Monday, and by late Saturday it became apparent they would not match Miami's contract offer.

Suh, 28, had no shortage of suitors as the most coveted free agent on the market, an in-his-prime pass rusher who commands regular double-teams.

The Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers all had some interest in signing Suh, but in the end the Dolphins' offer, championed by free-spending owner Stephen Ross, drove most bidders away.

With Suh gone, the Lions need to sign two free-agent defensive tackles to restock a defensive line that's been one of the best in the NFL the last few years.

They've been in regular communication about re-signing Nick Fairley, who many consider the second-best defensive tackle on the market, and want to add a run-stuffing nosetackle to play on the interior of their line.

Fairley, the 13thoverall pick in the 2011 draft, has 13.5 sacks in four years with the Lions but has never played all 16 games in a season. Last year, Fairley missed half the season with two sprained ligaments in his knee, an injury he suffered when he collided with Suh in the Lions' win over the Atlanta Falcons in London.

The Lions declined the fifth-year option on Fairley's rookie contract last spring because of injury concerns, and were lukewarm about signing to him to a long-term deal when they thought they had a good shot of retaining Suh.

Beyond Fairley, Jared Odrick, who's expected to leave Miami now that the Dolphins have signed Suh, Dan Williams, Stephen Paea and Corey Peters are among a deep group of linemen who could interest the Lions.

Suh played 80 of a possible 82 games in five seasons with the Lions, including the playoffs – he was suspended two games for stomping on the leg of an opponent in 2011 and had a second suspension overturned on appeal last season – and leaves the team with 36 sacks, 239 tackles, four Pro Bowl selections and the makings of what is trending towards a Hall-of-Fame career.

He's easily the best player to leave the Lions as a free agent since the advent of free agency in 1993, and, aside from a useable chunk of cap space, the only thing the Lions will get for his departure is a compensatory draft pick, most likely in the third round, next year.

The Lions have about $17 million of available cap space to spend on free agents, sign their rookie class and perhaps use to sign players like DeAndre Levy to contract extensions later this year.

Along with defensive tackle, the Lions hope to add a starting-caliber cornerback and could look to bolster their offense with a running back or offensive lineman in free agency.